An outcomes fund is a pool of money which is made available for projects with clear rules on the type of outcomes that are being paid for and amounts payable per outcome. This article provides a guide to help assess a program’s appropriateness for the Australian Government’s $100 million Outcomes Fund. The Fund will provide more opportunities for outcomes contracts and social impact bonds (SIBs) in Australia.  

This article provides the key questions that organisations thinking of embarking on this journey should consider, and viability ‘rules of thumb’ for those questions.